SportsBeat KC

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Talking football, basketball and league musical chairs for KU, K-State Aug 18, 2021

Show notes

Kansas State and Kansas are preparing for football season, which kicks off in two weeks, and it’s never not basketball season at KU. But any discussion involving athletics at those schools starts with conference realignment.

Among the latest news: Officials from the Big Ten, ACC and Pac-12 meeting last week without the Big 12. Not good news for schools in this part of the country.

On today’s SportsBeat KC, Kellis Robinett, who covers Kansas State and KU beat writers Gary Bedore and Jesse Newell offer up the latest on conference musical chairs as it involves the Big 12. There’s also some football and basketball to discuss.

Story links:

Big 12 faces difficult realignment questions as ACC, Big Ten, Pac-12 talk alliance

Joe Ervin once again shining for Kansas State after opt out season

“He’s a generational-type athlete:” This KU Jayhawk - in a new role - is an early standout

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Why Adalberto Mondesi can’t play ... and Whit Merrifield can’t not play Aug 17, 2021

Show notes

Whit Merrifield is the Royals’ new iron man, breaking Alcides Escobar’s club record for consecutive games played. The streak stands in contrast to the status of infielder Adalberto Mondesi, who has suffered another yet injury setback.

Merrifield’s streak is the leadoff topic in this episode of SportsBeat KC, The Star’s daily sports podcast, with beat writer Lynn Worthy and columnists Sam Mellinger and Vahe Gregorian.

Also, it’s not longer a matter of when Bobby Witt Jr. will make his major-league debut this season, but if he will at all. We also discuss the recent Field of Dreams game between the Yankees and White Sox up in Iowa.

Story links:

Toughness and grit and grind: Why Merrifield is Royals’ new iron man

Royals place Greg Holland on IL and latest on Adalberto Mondesi’s injury

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Two plays stood out for Chiefs’ offensive line in that preseason opener Aug 16, 2021

Show notes

Offensive line performance? Check. Defensive front pressure? Check. No injuries. Check. Those important boxes were filled by the Chiefs in their preseason opener at the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday. As a bonus, they got a late touchdown drive from reserve quarterback Shane Buechele to win the game.

On today’s SportsBeat KC, beat writer Sam MCDowell and columnist Vahe Gregorian break down the game, identify the standouts and the not-so-stellar moments. It starts with the offensive line, five players suited up for the Chiefs for the first time and looked solid.

Story links:

The Chiefs’ new offensive line can convert the boring way and that’s a compliment

https://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/sam-mellinger/article253500854.html

Why Chiefs receiver Byron Pringle deserves a closer look in prime time

https://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/vahe-gregorian/article253501224.html

Chiefs 19, 49ers 16: What we learned

https://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/article253419049.html

Five players who stood out in Chiefs’ preseason opener

https://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/article253501129.html

First report card of the (pre) season is in: Good enough in San Francisco

https://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/article253501509.html

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All eyes on Kansas City Chiefs’ new offensive line as preseason begins Aug 13, 2021

Show notes

Members of the Chiefs’ new offensive line have had a few months to get acquainted and acclimate. Now they get to work as a group and battle someone besides their own teammates.

The Chiefs’ 2021 preseason begins with an opener Saturday evening in San Francisco, and while there are plenty of players at several positions to watch, the offensive line is the position group that commands the most attention. The Chiefs are expected to start five new O-linemen after the team lost badly in the Super Bowl about 6 1/2 months go.

Three of them will be seeing their first NFL action.

In this episode of SportsBeat KC, The Star’s daily sports podcast, former Chiefs lineman Joe Valerio shares his thoughts on the new group and what to expect from them. Valerio played for several playoff teams in the early 1990s.

The show kicks off with Star beat writer Sam McDowell breaking down what he’s seeing from the offensive line and other players at training camp, and some other key things to look for during Saturday’s game in the Bay Area.

Story links:

KC Chiefs players to watch in preseason opener

How much KC Chiefs starters will play in preseason opener

Bleav in Chiefs podcast with Joe Valerio, Jeff Fedotin

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Peter Vermes’ Cup conundrum and who’s the best soccer player on earth? Aug 12, 2021

Show notes

To be or not to be—at full strength. That was the question for Sporting KC’s Peter Vermes this week as his team was assigned at Leagues Cup contest in the heart of a busy stretch of MLS games. Sporting lost to Club Leon of Liga MX 6-1 at Children’s Mercy Park and on today’s SportsBeat KC, Shaun Goodwin, who covers soccer for The Star, speaks to the Cup conundrum with host Blair Kerkhoff.

After a break, we discuss how close KC NWSL is to grabbing its first victory, and the transfer of Lionel Messi from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain opens the door to this discussion: Is he the best soccer player in the world...and of all-time?

Story links:

Was Sporting KC right to field young tam for Leagues Cup? Let’s analyze pros and cons

https://amp.kansascity.com/sports/mls/sporting-kc/article253429509.html

KC NWSL loses on the road 3-1 to Racing Louiville: analysis

https://www.kansascity.com/sports/mls/fc-kansas-city/article253352138.html

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Introducing Mizzou’s new athletic director, Desiree Reed-Francois Aug 11, 2021

Show notes

Missouri rolled out the welcome mat to new athletic director Desiree Reed-Francois on Wednesday.

Hear what she had to say on several topics, including why she was interested in the job; how her son, Jackson, had agreed to walk on to coach Cuonzo Martin’s basketball program before the Mizzou job came open; and lessons learned from one season of rowing at UCLA, even though she didn’t earn a letter.

Also, you’ll hear from University of Missouri president Mun Choi and Board of Curators chairman Darryl Chatman, a former Tigers linebacker, on the hiring of Reed-Francois.

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These two players’ encouraging futures showcased in Royals’ wild loss Aug 10, 2021

Show notes

The Royals-Yankees game on Monday was one for the books. All zeroes on the line score through six innings, and all runs for both teams every inning after that.

The Yankees prevailed 8-6 in 11, blowing four leads along the way. It was a gritty effort by both teams.

We talk about the game, and the emergence of starting pitcher Carols Hernandez plus several other topics, in this edition of The Star’s daily sports podcast, SportsBeat KC. The show started as a SportsBeat Live stream Tuesday morning with beat wrtier Lynn Worthy, columnist Sam Mellinger and host Blair Kerkhoff.

Also, why is Mike Matheny going with a six-man rotation? And although the Royals are not in the postseason hunt, some players are making strong cases to be part of this team’s future.

Story links:

Royals rally from behind in 4 straight innings but lose in 11 to Yankees

Mellinger Minutes: Nicky Lopez, Big 12 mistakes, awesome SKC and football superspreaders

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At Mizzou, a new football season comes with a new athletic director Aug 09, 2021

Show notes

Well, that was quick. Two weeks after Missouri announced Jim Sterk was stepping down as athletic director, the university found a successor in Desiree Reed-Francois, who had spent the previous five years at UNLV. She’ll become the first woman to lead the Tigers’ athletic department.

On today’s SportsBeat KC, Briar Napier, who has covered the Tigers for The Star, joins host Blair Kerkhoff to discuss the hiring of Reed-Francois. Also discussed: The opening of football camp. Head coach Eli Drinkwitz and defensive coordinator Steve Wilks spent time with reporters last week and hear what they had to say about the upcoming season.

Story links:

Five things to know about Desiree Reed-Francois

Missouri Tigers hire first woman as athletic director, UNLV’s Desiree Reed-Francois

“We got to improve,” Eliah Drinkwitz on Missouri’s first preseason practice

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Sporting KC dives into transfer pool & should USWNT be OK with bronze? Aug 06, 2021

Show notes

One out the door, another in for Sporting Kansas City. The Gianluca Busio transfer to Venezia FC in Italy became official, and so did the team’s signing of Jose Mauri, an Argentine-Italian midfielder. We talk about both on SportsBeat KC, The Star’s daily sports podcast, with Shaun Goodwin and Cora Hall.

Also on the menu: Sporting KC has been on fire, a 4-1 triumph at LAFC as its latest conquest. Daniel Salloi continues to impress and was named to the MLS All-Star team.

The USWNT, coached by Kansas City’s Vlatko Andonovski, claimed an Olympic medal but not the one they had hoped, and KC NWSL was reprented in the Olympic gold-medal match.

Story links:

Busio’s move to Italy is the latest of MLS homegrown talents taking the next step

https://www.kansascity.com/sports/mls/sporting-kc/article252951318.html

Sporting KC transfers Gianluca Busio to Italian Serie A club. Here are the details

https://www.kansascity.com/sports/mls/sporting-kc/article253294653.html

Sporting KC records historic win at LAFC and is on top of the Western Conference

https://www.kansascity.com/sports/mls/sporting-kc/article253267508.html

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Camping out with Chiefs coordinators - mostly good, work to do Aug 05, 2021

Show notes

SportsBeat KC, The Star’s daily sports podcast, returns to Chiefs training camp today and you’ll hear from the coordinators. Steve Spagnuolo offers up what he’s liked about the defense, giving his assessment of the young linebackers, and identifies a rookie free agent who is having a superb camp.

Offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy spoke of the new faces along the offensive line and the running back group. And what does he mean about a hiring sign at camp?

After the coaches, you’ll hear from a Darrius Shepherd. He’s a wide receiver prospect who went to Blue Springs High and North Dakota State, where he played for current Kansas State coach Chris Klieman. He’s a hometown product trying to stick with the team he grew up cheering for.

Story links:

Darrius Shepherd, from Blue Springs High, fulfills childhood dream with KC Chiefs

A mic-up Steve Spagnuolo on Patrick Mahomes: I’m glad he’s on our side

If NBA considers Kansas City for expansion, guess whose hand is up?

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